Weekly Update: Congressman Schrader Needs to Hear From Us!

Congressman Schrader Needs to Hear From Us!

Take Action

Do you know people? We bet you do. Do you know people who live in Oregon City, Salem, or Tillamook? We need you to call everyone you know who lives in Congressman Schrader's district and ask them to call their congressman.

This Saturday is the vote on the House health care reform bill, and Schrader is waffling on his vote. Call his office at 202-225-5711 and make sure he knows that his constituents want him to vote yes on the House health care reform bill.

Congressman Schrader: Vote Yes This Weekend!

Below is a copy of the press release that we sent out earlier this afternoon.

Union Members to Congressman Schrader: Support Health Care Reform Now!

Congressman Schrader may vote against health care reform later this week, according to conversations the Congressman has had with union leaders in Oregon the past few days.

Schrader has had concerns about the House's health care reform bill, but after he recently gained a big win for Oregon when the public option was decoupled from the Medicare reimbursement rate - a formula that hurts states with efficient Medicare programs like Oregon - many activists concluded that he would support the House bill. But now Congressman Schrader says he's not sure the bill is worth the cost. Unfortunately the big change that Schrader asked for added to the cost of the bill, which is leaving a few Oregonians confused about his current position.

"It's expensive to reform 1/6 of the American economy," said Oregon AFL-CIO President Tom Chamberlain. "Union members understand that Congressman Schrader wants to make sure reform is worth the cost. But what we don't understand is why Congressman Schrader would vote against the Affordable Health Care for America Act at this crucial time, when slowing down reform threatens to derail all of the progress that has been made and leave Oregonians without the help they need for years to come."

That's why union members across Congressman Schrader's district are calling his office this week. They want to remind the Congressman that without reform the middle class will continue to fall farther and farther behind; Oregon's small businesses will continue to be at a competitive disadvantage; and thousands of families will file for bankruptcy each year because they just won't be able to afford rising costs of a medical emergency, even if they are insured.

"A vote is scheduled. Reform is moving forward. There will be time to make changes when the bill is in conference, but that time is not now," said Chamberlain. "Now is the time for Congressman Schrader to make a stand and take a vote."

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The House is scheduled to vote on the Affordable Health Care for America Act this Saturday. Please make sure that Congressman Schrader knows you want him to support this bill, and if you don't live in Congressman Schrader's district call your representative and (if you live in Congressmen Wu, Blumenauer or De Fazio's district) thank them for continuing to support the reform that Oregonians need or (if you live in Congressman Walden's district) tell them that you hope they'll change their position and vote in favor of the reform that Oregonians want so that they can support the health care we need!

For more information on what CD 5, Schrader's district, stands to gain from the Affordable Health Care for America Act check out this page that the Committee on Energy and Commerce sent out.

In Other News...

BETC Reform - Will it Catch on This Time?

During the legislative session we called - in conversations with lawmakers, press releases, and in information we sent to all of you in the Weekly Update - for reforms to the Business Energy Tax Credit (BETC). BETC, we said, was handing out too much money to companies that weren't creating good, long term jobs, and lacked real public accountability.

When we pushed for real accountability very little happened. Even the very minimal "reform" that did happen was vetoed by the governor.

The Oregonian pushed the BETC back into the news last week with a hard hitting story claiming that state officials deliberately underestimated the BETC's cost last session, and a follow-up story today reporting that agency officials released new rules that will rein in some of the most egregious abuses of the BETC program. You can read both stories at the Oregonian.

We hate to say we told you so, but...we did.

The BETC has been untouchable, and for no good reason. The truth is out, now, and it's time for legislators to stand up to the tax-credit lobby and to the governor and bring about real reform to BETC. We were ready to help last spring, and we'll be ready to help again. We hope our legislators are ready to act.